The EU’s chief interlocutor on the Northern Ireland Protocol @MarosSefcovic has told member states he will bring forward a range of proposals by the end of September or early October in order to try and resolve the ongoing deadlock around the Protocol, @rtenews understands.
2/ Mr Sefcovic, who arrives in Dublin this evening, has told capitals he hopes an overall deal can be reached with the UK by the end of the year, although he cautioned that success was not guaranteed
3/ He told EU ambassadors at a meeting in Brussels that the proposals would cover the issues of customs, agrifood, medicines and ways to strengthen the role of the Northern Ireland institutions in overseeing the implementation of the Protocol.
4/ Meanwhile, a senior EU official has expressed concern that the UK is increasingly raising the sovereignty issue when outlining its objections to the Protocol.
5/ In particular, the official said the UK is raising fresh complaints, such as the role of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) in overseeing the Protocol, that had not been expressed to the EU a number of months ago.
6/ The official said the issue of medicines was also now being linked to the sovereignty question, since the EU’s proposed solution to the medicines issue would involve the UK applying EU regulatory procedures in GB in order to ensure the free flow of medicines into NI.
7/ The official said the sovereignty question was “starkly” set out in the speech last weekend at the British Irish Association by @DavidGHFrost, Mr Sefcovic’s opposite number on the UK side.
It was also implicit in the UK’s Command Paper on the Protocol, published on July 21.
It was also implicit in the UK’s Command Paper on the Protocol, published on July 21.
8/ The official said a fresh UK fixation on sovereignty would hamper the quest for practical solutions on the ground that could ease the implementation of the Protocol.
9/ Maros Sefcovic will hold a working dinner with the Taoiseach Micheal Martin in Government Buildings tonight before travelling to NI on Thursday morning for a series of meetings with businesses, stakeholders, civil society and political leaders.
10/ Officials say the object of the visit is to ensure that businesses, stakeholders and politicians can clearly outline what their concerns around the Protocol are, and that the EU can in turn explore practical solutions.
11/ However, officials also say that Mr Sefcovic will be “managing expectations” around the way forward.
“This is pretty important in light of the Command Paper,” said the EU official.
“This is pretty important in light of the Command Paper,” said the EU official.
12/ “We think certain stakeholders in Northern Ireland need to hear that the Protocol will not be rewritten. We will find solutions in its implementation, but we will not propose to the UK to start renegotiating. Because we don't think there is an alternative.”
13/ Member states are said to have supported Mr Sefcovic during today’s meeting with ambassadors in his bid to break the deadlock with new proposals.
However, a number of MS said the EU would need to prepare a response if the talks process in the next months did not bear fruit
However, a number of MS said the EU would need to prepare a response if the talks process in the next months did not bear fruit
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
